hot air balloon

Hot air balloon festival Ballon Fiesta took place in Meerstad, Groningen on Friday and Saturday. The show featured the largest hot air balloon in the world, shaped like a racing motorcycle, as well as dozens of other hot air balloons.

The largest hot air balloon in the world is 38 meters high and 44 meters wide, according to RTV Noord. Controlling it is rather complicated, owner Herman Kleinsmit said to the broadcaster. "The motorcycle catches a lot of wind. That is why I also need a large field to land it. Steering it is difficult, but it is a kick. Every time."

In a strange coincidence, two hot air balloons made unplanned landings in Tilburg on Tuesday. One landed in a small field in the middle of a residential area, the other landed on a football field a few minutes later. The two precautionary landings seem to be unrelated, Omroep Brabant reports.

Four people were injured when a hot air balloon carrying eight people made a crash landing near Zeijerveld around 8:00 p.m. on Thursday. No one sustained serious injuries, according to Dagblad van het Noorden.

The hot air balloon got into trouble due to the bad weather, according to the broadcaster. The 53-year-old operator tried to do an emergency landing several times, but was blown into the air by the strong wind. At one point the balloon crashed into a tree.

The balloon was seized by the police and the aviation police are investigating the accident.

Dutch hot air balloon pilot Jelke Haven was seriously injured on Saturday morning during a flight over the Dubai desert. Despite his critical injuries, he still managed to get his passengers safely on the ground. The company he works for in Dubai descries him as a hero, AD reports.